Civil Society areas

Find Civil Society expertise in Jamaica

Jamaica’s NGOs focus on many of the country’s problems including education, poverty, violence and social and economic conditions. The Jamaican government has partnered with civil societies to try and create a more substantial development in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Jamaica’s trade unions have previously been associated with strong political histories.

Many non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and civil organisations have worked with Ministry of Education and Youth to develop the education system and to guide out-of-school youth. These organisations and their skills have been recognised by the government as a great resource for extending the reach of the education system especially to deal with difficult social questions and youth at risk. There are a variety of international NGOs which look to improve the social pressures associated with poverty and violence; to improve the country’s social and economic conditions; and also to alleviate human suffering. In the past, the UK and USA have been known to offer significant support to the country.

A government-civil society partnership has also been crucial in the development of strategies to fight the spread of HIV/AIDS and in the delivery of health services as a whole. Organisations such as the Jamaica AIDS Support for Life have been at the forefront of educating people about the disease, influencing positive behaviour change and providing care and support to those infected with or affected by HIV/AIDS.

Jamaica’s trade unions have a strong political history. The two major political parties are associated with the two largest trade unions: Bustamante Industrial Trade Union (BITU) and the National Workers Union (NWU). The Jamaican Government has been favoured of being pro-worker in the past and many conventions have been promoted by the International Labour Organization (ILO).